Method of preparing diffusion transfer image-receiving materials

Abstract

A method of preparing a diffusion transfer image-receiving material for use in the silver halide diffusion transfer process which comprises hydrolyzing the surface portion of an alkali non-diffusible polymer sheet and, at the same time as or after the hydrolysis, absorbing diffusion transfer nuclei in the surface portion of the sheet from water, a ketone, or an alcohol containing the diffusion transfer nuclei.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of preparing a diffusion transfer image-receiving material for use in a silver halide diffusion transfer process which consists of contacting the surface portion of an alkali non-diffusible sheet composed of a polymer selected from cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, a cellulose butyrate, or a mixture of cellulose esters, with a solution or a dispersion of diffusion transfer nuclei in an organic solvent consisting of alcohols, ketones, ethylene glycol, ethers, or a solvent mixture of said solvents and water, which is capable of swelling the alkali non-diffusible polymer layer to absorb said nuclei in said surface portion, and then contacting said surface portion containing said diffusion transfer nuclei with a solvent containing an alkai or an acid to render said surface portion alkali diffusible. 
     
     
       2. The method of preparing a diffusion transfer image-receiving material as set forth in claim 1, wherein said surface is rendered alkali diffusible by contacting with a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, an alcohol, a ketone and mixtures thereof, said solvent containing an acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, bichromic acid, and benzenesulfonic acid. 
     
     
       3. The method of preparing a diffusion transfer image-receiving material as set forth in claim 1, wherein said polymer is selected from a mixture of cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose butyrate, and cellulose triacetate. 
     
     
       4. The method of preparing a diffusion transfer image-receiving material as set forth in claim 1, wherein said diffusion transfer nuclei are selected from the group consisting of a heavy metal, a heavy metal sulfide, a heavy metal selenide, a heavy metal telluride, and a heavy metal oxide. 
     
     
       5. The method of preparing a difusion transfer image-receiving material as set forth in claim 1, wherein said diffusion transfer nuclei are selected from the group consisting of nickel sulfide, gold metal, and cadmium sulfide. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5, wherein said diffusion transfer nuclei are nickel sulfide. 
     
     
       7. The method of preparing a diffusion transfer image-receiving material as set forth in claim 1, wherein said alcohol is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
       8. The method of preparing a diffusion transfer image-receiving material as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ketone is selected from the group consisting of acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and methyl isobutyl ketone. 
     
     
       9. The method of preparing a diffusion transfer image-receiving material as set forth in claim 1, wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of a water-methanol mixture, a water-ethanol mixture, a water-propanol mixture, a water-ethylene glycol mixture, and a water-methanol-acetone mixture. 
     
     
       10. The method of preparing a diffusion transfer image-receiving material as set forth in claim 1, wherein said surface is rendered alkali diffusible by contacting with a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, an alcohol, a ketone, and mixtures thereof, said solvent containing an alkali material selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, and sodium carbonate.